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Long Beach Port Cargo Volume Hits Best Levels in Nearly Three Years

New figures show container cargo rose by more than 17% in May at the Port of Long Beach, with some of the highest volumes in nearly three years.

Photo: Port of Long Beach

A total of 583,588 TEUs, or twenty-foot equivalent container units, were moved in May, up 17.2 percent from the same month last year. Imports increased 22.2% to 305,498 TEUs. Exports were up by 13.9% to 147,073 TEUs, according to the port.

Empty containers were up 10.2% to 131,017 TEUs. With imports exceeding exports, empties are sent overseas to be refilled with goods.

Import volumes are the highest since August 2010, and overall and export volumes are the highest since October 2010.

For the first five months of 2013, cargo container volume is up 17.2%, including 19.3% more imports, 12.2% more exports and 18.9% more empties. These increases are in part due to the larger ships calling at the port more frequently and the addition of service lines starting in the last part of 2012.